11 iPhone Apps You'll Have To Pry From My Cold, Dead Hands

My iPhone has become a valuable resource when I need to find my train times, check the weather, read the news, and more.

Since the new year started, the App Store has grown more crowded with additional options to choose from, so how do you make a decision on what you need? I've selected 11 apps that I've bee using on a daily basis.

When you want to refresh your iPhone and add new applications, here are the 11 I recommend.

Hop makes it easier to deal with the clutter of emails in my inbox.

iTunes

Hop has made it so much easier for me to answer emails in my inbox. It works for Gmail, Yahoo, AOL, and iCloud. Email chains become chat threads that let you quickly type a response. You can even see if someone is immediately writing you back. The app lets you manipulate notifications so you'll only be alerted for new messages that you think are important. It's so much better than the pre-installed iPhone app.

I rarely forget things thanks to Evernote.

Business Insider

Evernote always helps me get stuff done especially since I can sync my to-do lists across my phone and laptop. Although you can perform traditional tasks like set reminders and write individual to-do lists, I'm a big fan of the audio notes feature. It's much easier to remember you have to finish projects when your own voice is reminding you of that.

HBO Go is the best TV streaming app available.

Although it had a brief hiccup during the "True Detective" finale, I still think HBO Go is the best streaming app out there. A cable subscription is needed to let you binge watch the network's old classics like "The Wire" or view a slew of movies as well. By saving shows and films to the app's watch-list feature, you can access them at anytime and never worry about scheduling a recording on your DVR.

Facebook Messenger is a cheaper way to text your friends.

Facebook Messenger

I prefer using Facebook Messenger instead of my iPhone's messaging app when I want to talk to my friends. The app is equipped with a few features that make it easier to make plans. Hosting group chats helps everyone stay on the same page when deciding to meet up for the weekend while posting your location in a chat thread helps you find someone quickly in a crowded area.

Doodle Jump is one of the original iPhone games you need to play again.

Kotaku

I forgot how much fun it is to play Doodle Jump. Players have to help Doodle jump past a series of obstacles by tilting your phone from left to right. Shoot at monsters who block your way and snatch up powerups to help you earn a high score. After five years of success, Doodle Jump is still the best iPhone game on the market.

Price: Free

Available: iOS, Android

Yahoo News Digest keeps me updated on the news.

iTunes

Yahoo News Digest is my go-to app for reading about the most important news of the day. Digests of seven to 10 stories are delivered to my phone every morning and evening. The articles vary from politics, technology, entertainment, and more. It's a simple and well-designed app that keeps me informed about what's going on in the world instead of having to sift through dozens of news sites.

Dark Sky helped me handle the awful winter weather.

Dark Sky

Dark Sky is a predictive iPhone app that works much better than the one found on my iPhone. I was rarely caught off guard when it came to my commute because of the app's weather map feature. By swiping left and right, I was able to see the evolution of a storm which helped me figure out if I should work from home. You won't find many weather apps that are this accurate.

I'd be lost traveling without Telenav GPS Plus.

iTunes

While most people would prefer Google Maps for guidance, I'd be lost without Telenav GPS Plus. This helpful app provides turn-by-turn directions, locates the cheapest gas prices in your vicinity, and offers frequent alerts for traffic jams. You have to pay a small fee to download it and pay $2 a year to get voice navigation but it's definitely worth it.

WatchESPN helps me find the best games to watch.

iTunes

WatchESPN is an awesome app for finding games to watch. You can watch the traditional ESPN programming through the app but I use it for finding soccer games, tennis matches, and more events that typically wouldn't be playing on the main networks.

The Kindle app is the best reading app you can download.

Kevin Smith, Business Insider

I'm a voracious reader and the Kindle app is the best books app you can download. You don't need to own a tablet in order to enjoy reading over 1 million books and newspapers in Amazon's app store. Customize your reading experience by tapping text to highlight certain sections or alter font size and color to see the pages more clearly. Sync the app between your phone and computer so you make sure you never forget the page you left off on.

Beats Music is fantastic for finding new music.

iTunes

Beats Music has become my best source of music during my long train rides back to New Jersey. The app is equipped with a feature called 'The Sentence'. This particular section of the app is a series of customizable words that are supposed to represent your current mood. You can alter each word in the group to find a different genre of music or a new band. I always have a brand new album to enjoy on my way back from New York.